Laboratory drainboard

ABSTRACT

The specification discloses a drainboard whose face panel includes inverted triangular shaped apertures for receiving removable pegs. The pegs have a shoulder, an arm extending outwardly from the front of the shoulder, a neck extending rearwardly from the shoulder and having an inverted triangular shaped cross section, and an enlarged head on the neck which can be inserted through the aperture in the panel until the shoulder engages the panel. The peg is then slid downwardly to thereby lock the peg onto the panel and prevent rotation thereof.

United States Patent [191 Betts, Sr.

[451 Oct.. 14, 1975 LABORATORY DRAINBOARD Paul J. Betts, Sr., Muskegon, Mich.

[73] Assignee: .Inter Dyne, Spring Lake, Mich.

[22] Filed: July 11, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 487,595

[75] Inventor:

[52] U.S. C1 248/223; 248/DIG. 3 [51] Int. Cl. F16M 13/00 [58] Field of Search 248/73, 220.5, 223, 224, 248/225, 239, DIG. 3

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 181,178 8/1876 Jenks et a1. 248/239 848,506 3/1907 Steinberger 248/220.5 1,079,445 11/1913 Smith 248/73 1,775,391 9/1930 Fassinger 2,246,457 6/1941 Schultz 248/224 X Bales 248/223 Betts 248/220.5 X

Primary ExaminerWilliam H. Schultz Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Price, Heneveld, l luizenga & Cooper [57] 4 ABSTRACT The specification discloses a drainboard whose face panel includes inverted triangular shaped apertures for receiving removable pegs. The pegs have a shoulder, an arm extending outwardly from the front of the shoulder, a neck extending rearwardly from the shoulder and having an inverted triangular shaped cross section, and an enlarged head on the neck which can be inserted through the aperture in the panel until the shoulder engages the panel. The peg is then slid downwardly to thereby lock the peg onto the panel and prevent rotation thereof.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975' Sheet 1 of2 3,912,212

U.S. Patent 0a. 14, 1975 Sheet 2 Of2 3,912,212

l LABORATORY DRAINBOARD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Installation is readily affected by means of two studs extending rearwardly from the shoulder or collar of the peg. These studs fitinto a set of twoapertures. A slip nut is slipped over one of the studs to hold the peg in place on the drainboard. The peg is not only locked in place, but it is also locked against rotation so that the arm which extends from the front of the shoulder will always extend in a generally upward direction. The system works remarkably well. H

However, fastening the pegs in place on the drainboard panel is somewhat time consuming and tedious. Also, because the pegs are not tightly sealed in place to the panel by means of adhesive or the like,dirt can build up in the slight crack between the peg shoulder and the surface of the drainboard panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION While the apparent solution to this problem would be to either adhere the pegs to the drainboard at the'factory by means of adhesive or the like, or to seal the pegs in place during installation to eliminate the crack between the shoulder and the drainboard panel, I have invented a drainboard system which avoids the sealing step, makes it possible to ship the pegs separately and assemble them on the job site, solves the cleaning problem discussed above and actually makes the installation of the pegs less tedious and time consuming. The drainboard of the present invention includes pegs having a neck extending rearwardly from the peg shoulder and having a head positioned on the neck at a point spaced from the shoulder. The head is larger in lateral cross section than the neck, and the shoulder is larger in lateral cross section than both the neck and the head.

The aperture in the pegboard panel for receiving the peg is at least as large as the head but is smaller than the peg shoulder. Thus, the head is inserted through the aperture and the peg is slid downwardly until it engages the lower portion of the aperture. The marginal portions of the head, which extend away from the neck, engage the rear surface of the panel. The peg is thus easily locked in place on the panel by inserting it through the aperture and sliding it downwardly. Similarly, it can readily be removed to facilitate cleaning of the panel by sliding the peg upwardly and then pulling it out of the aperture.

Preferably, in a narrower aspect of my invention, the lower portion of the aperture is non-circular in configuration and the neck is similarly non-circular in lateral cross-section such that when the neck engages the edge of the lower portion of the aperture, the peg cannot be rotated. The arm which extends upwardly from the shoulder will always be locked in its upwardly extending position.

These and other features, aspects and objects of my invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the written specification and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the drainboard; FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the drainboard panel showing the inverted, triangular shaped aperture therein;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of a peg employed on the drainboard;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the peg;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the peg;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along plane VIVI of FIG. 1 but with the peg left intact.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drainboard l of the present invention comprises a sheet-like panel 10 having a plurality of inverted, triangular shaped apertures 20 therein for receiving the removably mounted pegs 30 (FIG. 1). Each peg 30 is preferably molded of a plastic material such as polyethylene. Peg 30 includes a shoulder 31 (FIGS. 3, 4, and 5) having a front face from which extends an upwardly slanting arm 32. A short, stubby neck 33 extends rearwardly from the rear surface of shoulder 31 (FIG. 5)

and terminates at an enlarged head 34. Both head 34 and neck 33 are of an inverted triangular configuration in lateral cross-section (see FIG. 3 in which neck 33 is shown by hidden lines). The base of the triangle defined by the cross-section of neck 33 is located at the top thereof and the apex of the triangle is located at the bottom thereof. The same is true with respect to head 34. Further, the bases of the two triangles are flush with one another. Head 34 is larger in lateral cross-section that neck 33 so that head 34 includes marginal portions 34a which extend beyond the edges of the sides of neck 33 (FIG. 3). i

The length of neck 33 from shoulder 31 to head 34 is approximately equal to the thickness of the sheet-like panel 10 of drainboard l. Shoulder 31 itself is larger in lateral cross-section than both neck 33 and head 34. Shoulder 31 is also generally triangular in configuration, but it constitutes an upright triangle so that when liquid drains down the face of panel 10, it drains downwardly over and off of the sloping sides 31a and 31b of the triangle defined by the margin of shoulder 31 (FIG. 3 and 4).

The reason that the triangles defined by head 34 and neck 33 are inverted is to facilitate locking peg 30 in position on panel 10. Each inverted triangular shaped aperture 20 in panel 10 is approximately the same in shape and dimension, or possibly slightly larger than, head 34. On the other hand, each aperture 20 is smaller than the lateral cross-section area of shoulder 31. This allows head 34 to be inserted through an opening 20, but prevents shoulder 31 from being inserted through opening 20.

The angle at the apex of each triangle defined by aperture 20 is the same as the angle of the apex of the triangle defined by the cross-section of neck 33. Thus, when one slides peg 30 downwardly in aperture 20, the sidesof neck 33 and the apex of the triangle defined by the cross-section of neck 33 come snugly into engagement with the apex and lower edge portions of the sides I provide a means for locking peg 30'against rotation on panel when it is slipped downwardly so that the lower sides of neck 33 come into engagement with the lower edge portions of aperture 20.

Panel 10 itself is comprised of a relatively, thin, sheet like material such as sheet stainless steel. It is important that the sheet like material be relatively thin so that neck 33 does not have to be exceptionally long. If neck 33 were too long, it would comprise a rather delicate extension, subject more readily to bending forces, which could have a greater tendency to fracture than will the shorter neck 33. Panel 10 is bent over at its edges to definea margin 11 and an outwardly protruding bottomdrain lip 12, these features being more fully set forth in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,392, which is specifically incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, the means for hanging drainboard 1 are more fully disclosed in the aforesaid Pat. No. 3,779,392.

In operation, each peg 30 is readily mounted onto panel 10 by inserting its head 34 through an aperture and then sliding peg 30 in a downward direction until neck 33 comes into engagement with the lower edge portions of aperture 20. In this position, the extending marginal portions 34a of head 34 are in engagement with the rear surface of panel 10 as can be seen by reference to FIG. 6. In this manner, peg 30 is held inplace on panel 10. Similarly, due to the noncircular configuration of neck 33 and aperture 20, peg

' is locked against rotation and the upwardly slanting arm 32 thereof will be maintained in an upwardly slanting orientation with respect to panel 10.

1' For cleaning purposes, each peg 30 can readily be removed by sliding the peg 30 upwardly and then pulling it directly outwardly. Because the upper portions of neck 33 and head 34 are flush (i.e., the bases of the triangles defined thereby), one can simply slide peg '30 upwardly until neck 33 engages the top edge of aperture 20 and then one can simply pull peg 30 outwardly Without fear of hooking an upper portion of head 34 behind panel 10 adjacent to the upper edge of aperture 20. Panel 10 can then be wiped clean, as can the rear surface of shoulder 31 on peg 30. Peg 30 can then readily be reinstalled in the manner outlined above.

Such installation, removal and reinstallation'can all be done with panel 10 mounted in' position on a wall or the like. Panel 10 need not be taken down for purposes of affecting such removal and installation.

: Of course, it isun'derstood that the above is merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that various'changes an'dalterations can be made in the structure without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A drainboard, display or the like comprising: a sheet panel defining the face of said board; atleast one aperture in said panel for mounting a peg, said aperture being an inverted triangle in configuration with the base of the triangle being positioned at the top thereof and the apex of the triangle being positioned at the bottom thereof; at least one removable peg including a shoulder with front and rear surfaces, an arm extending outwardly and sloping upwardly from said front of said shoulder, a neck extending outwardly from said rear of said shoulder, and a head on said neck at a point spaced from said shoulder; said head being larger in lateral cross-section than said neck whereby said head includes marginal portions extending laterally at least downwardly from said neck; said neck having a length from said shoulder to said head which is approximately equal to the thickness of said panel; said neck also defining an inverted triangle in lateral cross-section configuration with' the base of the triangle at the top thereof and the apex of the triangle at the bottom thereof, the triangle defined by the lateral cross-section of said neck being smaller than that defined by said aperture and having an angle at its apex which is the same as the angle of the apex of the-triangle defined by said aperture such that said peg is locked into its said nanrotatable position when the apex and sides of said triangle defined by said neck cross-section, are slid down into engagement with the apex and sidesof said triangle defined by said aperture; said shoulder being larger in lateral cross-section than either said neck or said head; said head of said peg also defining an inverted triangle in lateral cross-section with a baseat the top and an apex at the bottom, said base of the triangle defined by said head being generally flush with'the base of saidtriangle defined by said neck; and the sides of said triangle defined by said head being spaced from the'sides of said triangle defined by said neck; said triangle defined by said head having dimensions which are equal.to or just slightly less than the dimensionsof said triangle defined by said aperture whereby said head canbe inserted therethrough; said shoulder defining a triangle in lateral cross-section with the apex of said shoulder triangle being positioned at the top thereof and the base of said shoulder triangle being positioned at the bottom thereof, whereby liquid draining down the face of said sheet-like panel flows downwardly over the sloping sides of said shoulder triangle; said aperture being smaller than the lateral cross-section of said shoulder whereby said shoulder will not extend through said aperture.

2. The drainboard of claim 1 in which: there are a plurality of said apertures and a plurality of said pegs. 

1. A drainboard, display or the like comprising: a sheet panel defining the face of said board; at least one aperture in said panel for mounting a peg, said aperture being an inverted triangle in configuration with the base of the triangle being positioned at the top thereof and the apex of the triangle being positioned at the bottom thereof; at least one removable peg including a shoulder with front and rear surfaces, an arm extending outwardly and sloping upwardly from said front of said shoulder, a neck extending outwardly from said rear of said shoulder, and a head on said neck at a point spaced from said shoulder; said head being larger in lateral cross-section than said neck whereby said head includes marginal portions extending laterally at least downwardly from said neck; said neck having a length from said shoulder to said head which is approximately equal to the thickness of said panel; said neck also defining an inverted triangle in lateral cross-section configuration with the base of the triangle at the top thereof and the apex of the triangle at the bottom thereof, the triangle defined by the lateral cross-section of said neck being smaller than that defineD by said aperture and having an angle at its apex which is the same as the angle of the apex of the triangle defined by said aperture such that said peg is locked into its said non-rotatable position when the apex and sides of said triangle defined by said neck cross-section are slid down into engagement with the apex and sides of said triangle defined by said aperture; said shoulder being larger in lateral cross-section than either said neck or said head; said head of said peg also defining an inverted triangle in lateral cross-section with a base at the top and an apex at the bottom, said base of the triangle defined by said head being generally flush with the base of said triangle defined by said neck; and the sides of said triangle defined by said head being spaced from the sides of said triangle defined by said neck; said triangle defined by said head having dimensions which are equal to or just slightly less than the dimensions of said triangle defined by said aperture whereby said head can be inserted therethrough; said shoulder defining a triangle in lateral cross-section with the apex of said shoulder triangle being positioned at the top thereof and the base of said shoulder triangle being positioned at the bottom thereof, whereby liquid draining down the face of said sheet-like panel flows downwardly over the sloping sides of said shoulder triangle; said aperture being smaller than the lateral cross-section of said shoulder whereby said shoulder will not extend through said aperture.
 2. The drainboard of claim 1 in which: there are a plurality of said apertures and a plurality of said pegs. 